Cabinet to consider consulting on future options for adult education

Proposals to consult the public on the future delivery of adult community education to ensure it supports those people who need it most are set to be considered by Derbyshire County Council.

Cabinet, which meets on Thursday 4th December, will be asked to consider seeking people’s views on options to review the service to ensure it is sustainable and fit for the future while having the greatest impact on residents’ lives.

Members will hear that recent changes to the way Derbyshire Adult Community Education Service (DACES) is funded provides an opportunity to look at how it could become more responsive while increasing the number of learners and ensuring people who need the most support gain qualifications to help them progress.

The service helps people of all ages earn qualifications in maths, English, Childcare and digital skills to help them return to work or further learning, supports young people aged 14 – 19 who are not in education, employment or training and runs apprenticeship programmes.

These are delivered through nine adult education centres, at 71 community venues across the county and in partnership with businesses, the private and voluntary sector.

Councillors will hear that in September the council received £4.516m of national Adult Skills Funding from East Midlands Combined County Authority as part of its devolved powers rather than directly from Government. 

Under this new funding arrangement, the council must show it is reaching learners in disadvantaged communities, young people at risk and adults with complex needs.

The council also received £1.15m from the Department for Education to deliver education programmes to 14 to 19 year olds

Cabinet Member for SEND and Education Councillor Simon Mabbott said: “Changes to the way adult education is funded, together with the evolving needs of Derbyshire communities, gives us an opportunity to look at all options for how we deliver learning in the future.

“We must make sure we are teaching people who need the most support and who live in the most disadvantaged areas to give them the skills they need to help them progress on to further learning or get a job.

“We are committed to delivering a high-quality adult education service so we are considering asking people for their views on how we make it fit for the future – delivering courses in the most effective way and at locations that suit people to get the best out of their learning so that it has the greatest impact on their lives.”

Cabinet will be asked to consider consulting on three options:

• Option 1: Increasing opportunities for residents with complex needs and in disadvantaged communities by delivering courses in the areas they live. Study programmes would continue to be directly delivered to 14 to 19 year olds at existing sites with the highest proportion of learners. 
• Option 2: Working with partners, including employers, to increase opportunities for people with complex needs and in disadvantaged communities to learn when they want to and at locations that suit them best.
• Option 3: Cease to directly provide adult education services and to commission other training providers to deliver specific learning to meet skills gaps across the county.

The council does not have a statutory duty to provide adult community education although it has a duty to ensure suitable adult education is provided across the county.

Councillor Mabbott added: “If Cabinet agrees to consult, no decisions would be made about the future of any of our services until we’d had chance to hear the views of everyone and take these fully in to account.

“I’d also like to reassure people that the options to be discussed would not affect anyone who is taking courses or apprenticeships in the current academic year 2025/2026.”

If agreed, the consultation would be held for 10 weeks with the impact of each option being fully taken into consideration before any future decisions were made in a further report to Cabinet.